What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
by Child of Loc Lac
Summary: A plea for attention, that's all it was supposed to be. So how could it go so disastrously wrong, yet so wondrously right at the same time? Well, when you throw in the number one most unpredictable ninja, anything that can go wrong, probably will go wrong, and will more likely than not lead to humorous shenanigans.
1. Chapter 1

The sounds of children shouting and enjoying their recess filtered into the filled classroom. However, none of these joyous sounds penetrated the miasma of anxiety, fear, and unease hanging about the people present. The classroom was filled with nervous students either ready for, studying for, or woefully unprepared for the test that could determine the course of the rest of their lives. What test I hear none of you asking because you're a good audience that doesn't interrupt? The Academy Final Exam of course. But none of the students were more nervous than one girl a year younger than the rest. The short, blue haired child wore a cream colored jacket and blue short pants. Her pupiless eyes, which normally would be incredibly unsettling yet seemed to work on her…somehow, were scanning over the copious amount of notes she had taken.

You see, this girl was Hinata Hyῡga. She was actually the eldest daughter of the head of the largest clan in Konoha, which was also the biggest and most powerful Hidden Village on the continent. She, like all the others around her resisting the urge to rip their hair out of their heads, were about ready to take the test that would determine if they were capable to be soldiers in the villages army. The reason she was more nervous than the rest though was because she wasn't technically supposed to be here. She actually belonged the class one year younger who would be taking this test the following year. However, she had decided to try and graduate a year early.

The reasons for this were varied and complex, but I'm going to explain them like they're not so here we go. Hinata wasn't well liked by her clan. No wait I lie that's not quite it, she was liked by a lot of her extended family, in fact she's better liked than her father and the entire head council combined. What she wasn't was respected, especially by said father. Many of the main branch, I'll explain later, saw her as a failure who would most likely die on her first mission outside the village. She hoped that by showing that she was capable of passing the genin test one year early she would earn their respect. A long shot she knew, but it was still a shot.

Breathing deeply Hinata centered herself and did her best to ignore the glare drilling into her back in an attempt to set her ablaze, again I'll explain later, and to focus on her notes. The door slammed open and everyone started at the sound. In walked a boy no older than Hinata herself clad in an impossibly orange matching jacket and pants set. Hinata eeped and started using the shinobi technique of hiding in plain sight as the orange-clad boy scanned the filled classroom looking for an empty seat. Now while practicing an important ninja technique in preparation for an important test sounds smart, that is not why she was doing it.

You see the child that just walked in was named Naruto Uzumaki and he was the villages pariah. He stole from every store he could, had the foulest language, was a massive pervert, terrorized small children, and was a demon made flesh…at least that's what Hinata had heard all the adults say about him. It was around this point that Hinata realized that the only empty seat in the filled classroom was the one right next to her and Naruto was heading directly towards it. Hinata tried to even out her breathing and calm down her racing heart before she suffered an anxiety attack. While many would consider the cause of said girl's anxiety to be forced to sit down next to the village's resident monster Hinata was nervous about sitting next to him for an entirely different reason, and it was a reason that Hinata was sure only she knew about him.

You see Naruto had a stalker that followed him around whenever they got the chance, and that stalkers name was Hinata Hyῡga. And for the 0.00% percent of you out there unfamiliar with the anime or manga I'm sure that came as a surprise. Of course the story of how the heir apparent of one of the most powerful families in the world came to be sneakily following around an ostracized orphan child will have to be given another day…hey don't look at me like that, the author didn't include it.

Hinata's breath quickened as Naruto ascended the steps and sat in the chair directly next to hers. What didn't help was when Naruto started staring at her with a quizzical expression on his face. Naruto either ignored you or gave you his full undivided attention, there was no middle ground with him, and right now his full attention was on Hinata. Her face started heating up and she started feeling light-headed as Naruto's gaze bore into her. She was about to faint when "Hinata!"

"Yes!?" Squeaked the girl nearly jumping out of her skin. "Heh, sorry about that. You're usually so quiet in class that it took me a moment to remember your name," Naruto said rubbing the back of his head. Hinata was now filled with two conflicting emotions, on one hand Naruto remembered her, on the other she was disappointed it took him so long to do that. "Are you also taking the genin test?" Naruto asked when it became apparent Hinata wasn't going to continue the conversation on her own. "Y-yes, y-you t-too?" Hinata asked, though the answer was plenty obvious, why else would he be here. Plus, Hinata also knew he had taken, and failed, the genin test last year. "Good luck," Naruto smiled. "Hey you okay?" Naruto asked as he saw her looking remarkably red. "I-I-I'm f-f-f-f-fine," Hinata barely managed to get out, inwardly cursing her stutter. "Don't worry too much about the test I'm sure you'll do fine," Naruto said incorrectly guessing the nature of her discomfort. "Y-you too, I-I s-sure you'll p-pass no problem," Hinata said knowing that despite his confidant demeanor it was all a façade, and that Naruto was incredibly nervous.

Naruto stared at Hinata like she had just grown a second head. When he had tried to cheer her up he had expected her to be dismissive, or insulting like all the other kids his age. Thinking back to the very few interactions he had with the girl he realized she had never once said anything mean about him, granted the interactions between the two were few and extremely far between. She was really weird, not bad weird, good weird. "K-kay," Naruto said turning away from Hinata not knowing how to deal with such a bizarre situation. Hinata, thinking she had done something wrong internally berated herself, of course that didn't stop her from unabashedly staring at the back of his head. She found herself getting lost in his luscious blonde locks jutting out at impossible angles barley held back from his eyes by a pair of goggles. Though she couldn't see it she knew he had a set of three whisker marks running along his cheeks, she found them unbelievable cute. And his ocean deep blue eyes that sparkled with mischief and good cheer, eyes that she could get lost in, eyes that were currently looking at her.

Hinata panicked as Naruto had caught her staring at him. Luckily she was saved as at that exact moment one of the teachers walked in and grabbed the entire class' attention. "Okay listen up if you're here it's to take the genin test, if not then get out, you're in the way!" When no one left the teacher continued. "Okay first up is the written part, afterwards you'll take the taijutsu exam, then you'll take the ninjutsu exam. If we teachers think you're capable enough you'll graduate, be given a headband, and assigned to Jonin-sensei. Any questions?" Numerous hands went up into the air. "None? Good, let's begin."

* * *

Hinata was studiously taking the written test and was quiet proud that she wasn't letting being so close to Naruto distract her, she had _only_ glanced at him approximately 639 times. What, she just found his concentrating face so cute. He was currently chewing his pencil to splinters working on a particularly hard problem. She was tempted to show him her own answers to give him an upper hand, but then realized that this was Naruto. He was either going to do it his way, or break the system and still do it his way. Not to say she was breezing through it, the test was brutal. A lot of it was stuff Hinata hadn't gone over in her year yet and she only knew it from her own studying. Granted she could easily use her unique familial trait to easily pass the test, but she was going to pass this test, not her D.N.A..

* * *

A collective sigh of relief swept through the classroom as the last written test was collected and the teacher left to get the taijutsu test ready. After coming up with a thousand different permutations of what would happen Hinata finally gathered the courage to talk to Naruto, who was currently resting his head on the desk. ""H-how did y-you do?"

"P-pretty well," Naruto laughed nervously. "Better than the others I took. Who knows when we both pass maybe we'll be on the same team…

...same team...

... ...same team... ...

... ... ...same team... ... ...

... ... ... ...same team... ... ... ...

The phrase coming off of Naruto's heavenly lips echoed through Hinata's mind as images started coalescing. Both Hinata and Naruto stood on a cliffs ledge, looking older and cooler, a majestic wind blowing through their long hair. A large ominous castle situated at the foot of the impossibly tall cliff was teeming with enemies. Smirking the pair, plus another unimportant member, leapt form the cliff face and descended on their enemies like an unstoppable natural disaster.

The enemy ninja came at them like a swarm, unending and unceasing. But Naruto and Hinata worked as if they were one organism. Every blow balanced by the other, every enemy attack blocked by the other without a single thought. Theirs was a deadly dance for two as they cleaved through the enemy ranks like a scythe cleaves through wheat. A bone rattling roar filled the air and scattered the enemy shinobi as a dragon fell from the sky and landed on the castle sending a shockwave through the air.

The dragon roared again and flame filled its maw as it unleashed its fiery wrath upon the two shinobi. Fire surrounded them but Naruto and Hinata were unconcerned as they clasped their hands together. combining their chakra together they thrust forward their joined hands and unleashed a pure beam of their love that scattered the flame before it and destroyed the dragon in one glorious burst of light. Their hands still clasped the two looked deeply into each other's eyes. Their attention was pulled from one another when the pink haired princess they were ordered to save descended from her tower and threw herself into Naruto's arms forcing him to carry her like, well a princess. Naruto took one look at her and unceremoniously dropped her. He then turned to Hinata, took her into his arms, dipped her low, and…

A-hem

…Anyway Hinata filed that particular fantasy away for further exploration later, right now she had to focus on talking to Naruto. "I-I'd like that," Hinata smiled. The saga of Naruto being confused by this quiet, weird girl, but she did have a nice smile. "Y-yeah," Naruto said. The teacher came back in and called out five names seemingly at random. The five got up and left, leaving the rest of the class to stew in their own anxiety. "H-how do you think you'll do with the taijutsu test?" Naruto asked trying to hide his own nervousness. Hinata wasn't worried, the Hyῡga training was far more intense than the academy was. "I-I think I'll d-do alright."

"Yeah me too, it's just throwing punches after all."

"Y-Yeah, we h-have to be on the s-same team a-after all."

"Uzumaki, Naruto!" The teacher shouted, probably not the first time if you take into account the impatience in his voice. "Here, coming!" Naruto shouted. Jumping to his feet. "G-good luck," Hinata said as Naruto started down the steps. "Heh, you too Hinata. See you when I'm a ninja." Hinata suddenly felt lonely with Naruto's absence. To comfort herself and to calm dpwm for the upcoming test Hinata started exploring the fantasy she was having before.

Afraid she would faint from pursuing the scenery in her head any further Hinata brought herself back to earth. The classroom was nearly empty, Hinata and a few others were the only ones left. "Yosh! If I can't go up and down these steps one hundred times before my test, then I will do two hundred push-ups!" A boy wearing a white shirt and sporting a pony tail and some gloriously bushy eyebrows was running up and down the stairs next to the desks. Hinata was confused, mostly because she couldn't comprehend someone doing intensive exercises before taking a physically intensive test.

"Greetings!" The boy shouted when he noticed Hinata looking at him. "Would you like to do some exorcises with me?" He asked jogging in place. "N-no thanks, I w-want to rest for the t-test. Sh-shouldn't you be d-doing the same?"

"No worries! I will be going last, after everyone else, so I still have time to become even more splendid!" the mystery boy shouted giving Hinata a thumbs up. "H-how do you know th-that? I thought the s-students were called r-randomly."

"They are!" The boy shouted starting a squats routine. "But I am taking a special test, so I'm going last."

"W-what kind of s-special test?'

"You see I cannot use ninjutsu, or genjutsu. But that will not stop me! I will prove to everyone that I can become a splendid shinobi using only taijutsu. And I will accomplish this thanks to the majestic Guy-sensei who has taught me to never give up and to never-"

"Hyῡga, Hinata!" The teacher shouted saving Hinata from having to continue to deal with the high-energy boy. "C-coming!" Hinata shouted leaping to her feet. "Good luck Miss Hinata, may your flames of youth burn ever brighter!" The boy behind her shouted as Hinata left the room.

* * *

"Congratulations Lady Hyῡga, you are now a Shinobi of the leaf, wear your Hitai-ate with pride." The teacher said handing the forehead protector to her. "Th-th-thank you," Hinata whispered accepting the metal clad strip of cloth. Leaving the room Hinata felt some of her strength leave her as she sagged against the wall. She passed. She managed to pass the genin test a year early without relying on her familial power. Slowly, reverently Hinata raised the head band and tied it around her neck. She was now a shinobi. "I did it!" Hinata shouted leaping into the air. Realizing what she just did Hinata quickly scanned the hallway and sighed in relief when she didn't see anyone. Barely containing her joy Hinata rushed outside to find Naruto, she wanted to hear if he passed or not.

* * *

Outside the classroom evening was falling over the Village Hidden in the Leaves and there was a crowd of students, teachers, and parents milling outside the Ninja Academy. Parents happily embracing their children in celebration, and in consolation. Some parents were shaking hands and talking with the teachers. Hinata scanned the undulating crowd looking for Naruto. She didn't know why it was taking so long, when Naruto wanted to be seen it was near impossible to ignore him. Yet despite her sharp eyesight she couldn't make out any eye-bleeding orange. Walking around the crowd Hinata was about to start using her familial technique when she heard the creak of rope straining against wood. For some reason the sound pierced Hinata's soul to her very core.

Turning her head in the direction of the sound she finally found Naruto. He was sitting on a lone rope swing, his head hung low. Hinata was about to approach him when he looked up. A lump caught in Hinata's throat and her heart shattered into a million pieces. His eyes, normally bright and cheerful, were vacant and forlorn as he watched the parents and children interact. His hair hung limply, and the warm summer day felt so very cold to her as she watched her hero bow his head in defeat. Naruto...had not passed the test.


	2. Chapter 2

What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Ch2

Hinata's hands trembled as she felt her soul tear itself into pieces. In all her time watching Naruto she had never seen him look so defeated. She had to help him somehow, she knew she would never be able to live with herself if she just sat by and left her hero to suffer in his depression. Though he didn't know it, he was always there for her when she needed to be cheered up, now she needed to be there for him. But how was she going to be able to do that? She had talked to him more in the last few hours than she had in months.

Anytime she had tried to get closer to him she felt her tongue get tied and her brain turn to mush, if she was lucky. If she wasn't she just passed out. Yet looking at the object of her respect was sitting there wallowing in self-hatred. No! She had to do something, even if that something was to humorously fall face first in front of him. She would never be able to forgive herself otherwise. Steeling her courage Hinata took a deep breath before she took a step towards her crush.

Before her courage failed her and took two steps back out of fear. Trying again Hinata took a deep breath, slapped herself, and stepped forward once more.

* * *

The sound of rope creaking against wood and the slight swaying of the swing did little to assuage his misery. He looked back up at the milling families. All the congratulations, the consoling, the whispers they thought he couldn't hear. They were all showing off, taunting him with their happiness, rubbing their families in his face. He knew what they when they thought he couldn't hear, he heard all the whispers, he knew the names they called him. He hated them! Naruto clenched his teeth so hard he tasted iron as he felt hatred fill him. What had they ever done for him? They tormented him, insulted him, reviled him. '…kill…them…' They should all die. 'kill them' They didn't deserve to live. 'Kill them' They hurt him constantly and had to pay. 'KILL THEM'

Naruto felt hands on his back, the rope swing creaked as he was pushed forward. Naruto turned towards whoever was going to bother him snarling. This was his swing and he wasn't about to put up with any crap from the stupid villagers. He stopped when he saw it was the weird girl from before, Hinata. Wiping the tears from his eyes Naruto put on his happy-go-lucky-nothing-affects-him face. "H-hey Hinata." The poor girl had taken a step back at Naruto's anger when he whipped around towards her. Steeling her nerves once more Hinata took the initiative. "Y-you didn't p-pass, huh?" Naruto turned back away from her to hide his tears, but Hinata knew. She always knew.

Hinata continued to push Naruto on the swing thinking very hard about what to say. "I g-guess we c-can't be on the s-same t-team then, huh?" At first Hinata thought that Naruto wasn't going to say anything and that she had somehow screwed up without knowing it. But with a shuddering breath Naruto answered. "Did you really want to be on my team?" The desperation in Naruto voice caused new tears to enter Hinata's eyes. "Y-yes, I thought w-we could h-have b-been a good t-team," Hinata said putting as much sincerity and heartfulness she could into her words.

"You really mean it?"

"Y-yes."

"Thanks Hinata. Really, thank you. Sorry I couldn't keep my promise. It's that stupid clone jutsu. I can do everything else, but no matter how much I try I can't seem to get it to work."

"I-I could help y-you," Hinata said jumping at the chance to not only cheer Naruto up but also spend more time with him. "You could help? How?" Naruto asked turning around to look at Hinata. "M-my clan can see ch-chakra. M-maybe that c-can help you s-somehow."

"Wait you can see chakra? That's so cool!" Naruto shouted leaping to his feet. Let's get started! Wait," Naruto looked over at the large group in front of the academy. Hinata noticed that a few of the adults were whispering to one another and stealing glances over at them. "I know a great place to practice. Let's go!" Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and dragged her away from the school. Hinata's mind went blank as she stared at their joined hands only barely managing to keep her feet under her. "heh, heh, heh," Hinata giggled dumbly, higher brain function being currently impossible for her.

* * *

"Okay we're here," Naruto announced letting go of Hinata's hand. Hinata stared at her now empty hand for a minute before blinking and shaking her head. Taking in her surroundings Hinata figured they were in one of the many training grounds littered around Konoha. Which one Hinata wasn't sure. She hadn't been paying attention on the way here. "Right so how do you wanna do this?" Naruto asked turning to Hinata. "Huh? Oh right! Just a second." Hinata brought her hands together and shouted "Byakugan!" The veins around her eyes bulged with chakra rich blood and her pupils become more evident as Hinata activated her familial ability. Her vision expanded and sharpened. She could see in all directions and much farther. The world took on a bluish tint as Hinata was now able to perceive the chakra flowing through all living things.

Naruto stood there awestruck as he watched Hinata. Good thing for her as she was temporarily distracted, and blinded. A trained human adult, say a jonin for example, their chakra was bright and vibrant, like a roaring fire. Naruto's chakra on the other hand made the sun feel ashamed to rise in the morning. It was brighter than anyone else she had ever seen, possibly even combined. That included the Hokage, who a lot of adults say is one of the strongest shinobi to ever live.

"That. Is. Awesome!" Naruto shouted causing the poor girl to jump. He had somehow gotten closer to her without her realizing. "Your eyes look so cool." Hinata calmed herself down, she could ogle Naruto's chakra later. "Th-thanks. Okay w-want to try the c-clone jutsu?"

"Okay, here it goes! **Clone Jutsu!"** Out of a puff of smoke came a pale, sickly copy of Naruto. It existed for all of a second then vanished as it came, in a puff of smoke. Hinata was floored by the display. Not by her idealized hero's failure, no what floored her was the sheer amount of chakra Naruto had used in this simplest of techniques. He had used more chakra in that one instant than Hinata had in her entire body.

Then it hit her, he was using too much chakra. "Y-you're using too m-much chakra, t-try less." Naruto looked up at her and thought for a moment. "But the book says that if you're having trouble it's often cause you're not using enough chakra. Why would I use less?" Naruto asked. I-I think y-you're overloading the j-jutsu." Naruto just looked more confused. "Overloading?" A second epiphany hit Hinata, Naruto didn't know how much chakra he had. "H-how much chakra d-do you think y-you have?" Hinata asked. "How much? Umm…the normal amount…I guess."

Hinata shook her head. "y-you have more ch-chakra than anyone else I'v-I've ever seen."

"Wait really?" Hinata nodded. "Th-the book is f-for people l-like me w-with normal am-amounts of chakra. You're u-using too much." Naruto nodded in understanding. "I always knew I was awesome. I'll try using less. **Clone Jutsu!** " Using only half as much chakra as he had before Naruto performed the technique. Like last time a sickly copy appeared out of a puff of smoke. Unlike last time, however, the clone lasted a whole two seconds. "I felt something that time!" Naruto exclaimed looking down at his hands. "You're a genius Hinata! I'm going to try again with even less."

And so he did. Naruto continued trying to limit the amount of chakra he used in the technique all the while Hinata continued to be floor by the sheer amount of chakra Naruto had possessed. She always knew he had so much, obviously. But watching him use it from afar and watching him use it up close were two very different experiences. Even at his minimum amount of power Naruto still produced more chakra than Hinata probably could in a week.

"I…almost…got…it…I…think…" Naruto panted out. The effort of trying to constrict his chakra coils to release so little an amount were obviously taking a toll on him. "A-are you okay?" Hinata asked moving to Naruto's side. "I'm…fine…" He wasn't. Hinata could see how much pain he was in trying to perform this technique. "Naruto I-I don't th-think you c-can do it?"

"Yes I can!" Naruto shouted causing Hinata to step back from its severity. A tense moment passed between the two. "I-I d-d-don't w-want y-y-you to g-get h-hurt." Tears fell freely down Hinata's face as she pleaded with Naruto. He was putting up a strong face, he was always putting on a strong face. But he was hurt, and getting more hurt with every attempt. Seeing Hinata's tears cause all the fight to leave Naruto. "Dammit!" Naruto shouted falling to the ground. "Why? Why can't I do it? Why?" Hinata floundered trying to think of something to say. "S-sometimes some people c-can't do th-things with ch-chakra." No effect. "Y-you can't g-give up."

"How am I going to become a ninja if I can't even make one stupid clone!?" Naruto shouted causing Hinata to take a step back. "S-sorry I didn't mean to yell at you. You're only trying to help." Hinata wanted to hug Naruto, to comfort him, but she was far too cowardly to take the step. She had to do something, anything. "L-Lee."

"What?" Naruto asks looking up. "R-Rock Lee. H-he was a s-student taking the ex-exam. H-he c-couldn't use ch-chakra, but s-still could t-take a s-special test. Y-You're like L-Lee, it's not that y-you have t-trouble with the c-clone jutsu, it's th-that you c-can't use it."

"So what you're saying is because I just can't make a clone, I can take a test where I don't have to use it?" Naruto asks hope lighting up his face. "I-if at-teacher says its o-okay. W-we should t-talk to Iruka-sensei." Naruto leapt to his feet his normal cheerfulness returning. "You're so smart Hinata. But I know someone even better to talk to than Iruka. Come on!" Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and dragged her away from the clearing. Once again all her brain functions immediately focused on the contact as she was dragged to who knows where.

* * *

Naruto let go of Hinata's hand and her brain began the arduous process of coming back to reality. Looking around she discovered that Naruto had brought her to the Hokage's Tower. She had been there on a few occasions but always with her father, she didn't know what they were there for. "Come on Hinata keep up," Naruto said walking into the building. Hinata fidgeted as she entered the building, sure that everyone was looking at them. She was half correct, everyone was looking at Naruto.

The blond-haired boy started walking down a hallway when a harsh voice cut through the room. "The Hokage is busy and doesn't have time for your antics, now get!" The speaker was an older lady sitting behind a desk and imperiously looking down on the child through her bifocal lenses. "But Jiji says I can see him whenever I want," Naruto protested. "He's busy and I am not going to argue this. Now go before I mak-"

"Dolores can you get me a new pot of tea?" She was interrupted by the voice of an old man coming from a speaker on the woman's desk. Throwing one last glare at Naruto the women turned to her intercom and pressed a button to answer the Hokage. "Hey Jiji!" Naruto shouted before Dolores could say anything. If looks could kill Naruto would have exploded. "Ah Naruto, come in, come in my boy. Dolores bring in an extra cup please."

"Yes Lord Hokage," Dolores said through gritted teeth. Naruto stuck out his tongue at the old woman before gesturing for Hinata to follow him. "Sorry, sorry," Hinata apologized to the woman as she made to follow Naruto. Dolores was about to lay into the girl but when she saw Hinata's eyes her words got caught in her throat. Hinata had trouble keeping her hands from shaking. She had never been in the Hokage's office, and now she was strolling in while the Hokage's secretary was glaring daggers at them. Naruto approached the leader of the most powerful military force on the continent with a care-free stride. When he made it to the door he turned to wait for Hinata. His smile erased all fear she had.

"Hey Jiji!" Naruto shouted throwing open the doors. "You don't always have to announce yourself like that Naruto," Said an old man in a red and white cloak sitting behind a large desk. Hinata anxiously stepped into the office doing her best to be small. "I see you brought a friend, welcome Lady Hinata."

"H-h-h-hello L-L-L-lord H-Hokage," Hinata stuttered bowing as deeply as she could. "Relax, relax, any friend of Naruto's is always welcome here," The Hokage said congenially. "Come on Hinata," Naruto said getting the Hyῡga's attention and patting a chair he had dragged in front of the Hokage's desk. Taking her seat, The Hokage spoke first. "Congratulations on passing the Academy Test Lady Hinata."

"Th-thanks Lord H-Hokage," Hinata said bowing again, although that was made more awkward by the fact she was sitting. "How do you already know that Jiji?" Naruto asked. "Well Naruto as the Hokage after the tests have been graded and those that have passed have been decided the results are given to me for one last inspection," The Hokage explained sagely. "Also she is wearing her Hitai-ate."

"Oh, right. Anyway Jiji we're here because of the tests, they're not fair."

"Now Naruto, just because you didn't pass doesn't mean the test is unfair. We have been over this before. If you want to become a shinobi you must pass the test," The old man said calmly with the air of re-treading ground. "A-actually Lord H-Hokage, I b-beg your f-forgiveness for in-interrupting, but the t-test really isn't f-fair to N-Naruto," Hinata said. All courage she had been trying to build up for the meeting fled her as the Hokage turned to regard her. "How so?" He asked.

"She was being nice and helping me figure out why I have trouble with the Clone Jutsu and said that it's impossible for me to do it," Naruto added trying to be helpful. "Is that so Hinata?" The Hyῡga heiress nodded. "H-he has too much ch-chakra to perform s-such a small t-technique, Lord Hokage." The so called 'God of Shinobi' appraised the two children sitting before him. "Tell me Lady Hinata, how much Chakra does Naruto have?" Looking between Naruto and the Hokage Hinata finally came up with an answer. "A l-lot," Hinata said. "Be more exact," The old man said, an edge of authority entering his voice. Hinata pressed her fingers together, how do you tell one of the most powerful people in the world that a child had surpassed them. Then again how do you lie to that same person. "M-more than y-y-you," Hinata whispered. "How much more, child?"

"A-at l-least t-t-twice." The Hokage took a moment to ponder this. He knew that Naruto had an excess amount of chakra, he just didn't how deep those reserves went. To expect such control of a genin was frankly irresponsible. "See Jiji? The test is bullsh-"

"Language!"

"-itake mushrooms. Shouldn't I get a special test like that Rock Lee kid? I could pass easy if not for the clone jutsu." Hiruzen looked between the two children for a moment. Finally, he reached into one of the many drawers and pulled out a manila file filled to the brim with papers. "First Rock Lee was an exceptional case, and he was only allowed to take a specialized test because he was being sponsored by a jonin who was willing to take him on as a student if he were to graduate. Something tells me you don't have one of those lined up."

"I could get o-"

"Secondly, I have all the test scores right here and even if we disregard your ninjutsu scores you would not have passed the academy exam. Your taijutsu was could barely be considered passable. And your written scores? Embarrassing."

"Who needs all that written stuff anyway? I'm going to be a shinobi, a warrior. So long as I can fight who cares about history and who said what when?"

"B-but you w-want to be H-Hokage right? Y-You need to kn-know those k-kind of things," Hinata piped in, forgotten by the other two. Naruto looked at her weirdly for a moment before the Hokage continued speaking. "She is right Naruto. A Hokage is more than a foot soldier. A Hokage is a historian, an ambassador, a scientist, a philosopher, and so much more. If you want to get closer to achieving your goal you need to take these tests seriously. Tell you what Naruto, I'll make a deal with you. If you can get both your academic and taijutsu grades up, I'll give you a jutsu you can use in place of the clone technique."

"Really?" Naruto asked perking up at the mention of new jutsus. "But you have to get your grades up. If you do I guarantee that you'll pass the test with flying colors."

"What kind of new jutsu?"

"You'll have to get better grades to find out," The old man said. "Now while this was fun I do need to get back to work."

"Okay Jiji, good night, and you better keep your promise. I'm going to get the best grades in that class, believe it!" Naruto shouted jumping to his feet. "Come on Hinata." Getting out of her chair Hinata bowed once more to the leader of her village. "Th-thanks for s-seeing us, Lord H-Hokage." Hinata continued bowing to the Hokage as she backed up to the door. An old man's good-natured chuckle saw her out.

"A new jutsu, I can't wait," Naruto said once the pair left the Hokage's tower. "B-nut you n-need to raise y-your grades f-first."

"Ugh, don't remind me. I'll figure something out don't worry. Hey Hinata wait just a minute," Naruto said pulling out his frog shaped wallet. Turning his back so that Hinata couldn't see, Naruto started counting out his money. "Good I have enough. Hey Hinata I wanted to thank you for helping me out with everything. So, I was wondering If maybe you wanted to get some rame-"

"Yes! Err…uh…I-I mean, Y-yeah I w-would love t-to have r-ramen with you," Hinata said trying to recompose herself. A ramen date with Naruto was on her bucket list. Granted that meant that soon their time together would end, but she didn't want to think of that, when an idea hit her. She was just chalk full of epiphanies today. "A-actually Naruto i-if you're okay w-with it I-I could m-maybe be y-your t-tutor?"

"What's a tutor?"

"A t-tutor is l-like a t-teacher that only t-teaches one person. I-I have a t-tutor and they r-really helped me w-with the a-academy classes." Naruto was once again giving Hinata that funny look. "Why are you so nice to me Hinata? Almost everyone hates me and would sooner spit on me than help, but you're so nice and are willing to do so much for me, why?"

 _becauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyou_

"B-Because…"

 _becauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyou_

"…I l-lo…"

 _becauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyoubecauseIloveyou_

"…lo…like helping p-people." 'Dang it!' "You're really are the nicest person I've ever met. So, you're saying you'll really help me get better grades?" Hinata nodded. "Thanks Hinata!" Naruto rushed forward and enveloped Hinata in a massive bear hug.

It had been an overwhelming day. She became a shinobi, spent the afternoon with the object of her affection, she had an unannounced meeting with the leader of the village and now she was being hugged by Naruto…Naruto! Too bad she was already unconscious.


	3. Chapter 3

The first thing Hinata noticed was how wet and hot the air was. The second thing she noticed was the cavalcade of sounds: the clinking of bowls, the clacking of chopsticks, the boiling of water, and the slurping of noodles. And finally, the mess of smells that assaulted her nose: miso, pork, soy, steam, and noodles. Hinata stirred from her torpor and tried to blink away the fog surrounding her eyes. "Ah…ur…u…" Hinata turned and there, sitting next to her with noodles dangling out of his mouth, sat Naruto. "What have I told you about speaking with your mouth full?" A rotund older man wearing an apron scolded Naruto from behind the ramen counter.

"…ory." Naruto flinched when the man narrowed his eyes. He quickly slurped up the noodles dangling from his lips. "Sorry," Naruto said before turning to Hinata. "You're up! You suddenly fainted when I hugged you. I was gonna take you to the hospital, but I don't think they like kids there. So, I brought you here cause Teuchi and Ayame are…like…the smartest people I know. They told me that you were alright and to just let you sleep it off." Hinata would usually be paying rapt attention to anything that Naruto would've been telling her. However, she was currently bringing up her mental bucket list and scratched off "Ramen date with Naruto at Ichiraku's". Shut up, this totally counted!

"I-I'm sorry I-I f-fainted. I-it happ-"

"Don't worry about it Hinata. I'm just glad you're okay," Naruto beamed giving Hinata a breathtaking smile. The Hyῡga made a sound in her throat that sounded like "kyun" and fell in love with Naruto all over again. Unaware of the swirling emotions of the impressionable girl next to him Naruto turned to look at the menu. "Okay so for your first time at a ramen stand you need to start simple and g-"

"Here you go one shrimp deluxe with extra naruto and a boiled half egg," Ayame said laying a steaming bowl of ramen in front of Hinata. "First one's on us. To celebrate our two favorite customers having dinner together."

"Wait, what?" Naruto asked as Hinata pulled apart a pair of disposable chopsticks. "Oh, you didn't know? The only person that comes in here more than the nice little Hyῡga sitting next to you, is you," Teuchi said gesturing to Hinata, who was blushing from the attention. "You've been here before?" Naruto asked perplexed. Hinata nodded, too embarrassed to answer. What was she supposed to say? That she had eaten here so that she could watch Naruto, or when he wasn't there she sat in his favorite seat and imagined that he was next to her.

"Why didn't you ever say anything? We could've been having ramen together this entire time," Naruto said. His smile grew cheeky and he managed to snag one of Hinata's shrimp pieces and quickly tossed it into his mouth. "H-hey!" Naruto giggled at Hinata's expression. Narrowing her eyes Hinata snagged a piece of Naruto's pork and ate it. "Hee, hee, hee, touché," Naruto laughed.

Hinata turned her head away from Naruto, mostly to hide her beet red face. Had she just acted flirtatiously with Naruto!? She just went with the flow; how could she possibly look at him now without fainting. She realized she was being watched and looked forward to see the ramen girl, Ayame, leaning on the counter staring at the two of them with a knowing smile. "Having fun you two?" She asked. "Food always tastes better when you have it with someone else," Naruto said.

"That's right!" Teuchi shouted from in front of his boiling pot. "And hear this. Jiji made a deal with me that if I get my grades up he's gonna teach me an awesome new jutsu."

"Oh? And you're just going to magically raise your grades huh?" Teuchi asked setting a bowl down in front of another customer. "Hinata here's gonna…what was that word…oh yeah tutor me," Naruto said excitedly. "Oh, is she?' Ayame asked looking suspiciously at Hinata, who had taken a very keen interest in fishing out a kernel of corn from her broth. "Thanks Hinata!" Ayame shouted ruffling Hinata's hair. "We need all the help of we can get keeping this knucklehead out of trouble."

"Hey I am not a knucklehead!" Naruto interjected, defending himself. "Who else but a knucklehead would deface the Hokage Monument?" Teuchi asked starting a new batch of broth. "I didn't _deface it_. I improved it," Naruto huffed. "I -I don't th-think it n-needed improving f-four times."

"You too Hinata," Naruto pouted. "Atta girl," Ayame said. "Y'all are picking on me." Naruto huffed putting on a sour face. For about a second before he broke out into a smile. "Hey Hinata, what's it like being a shinobi?" Naruto asked suddenly serious. "I-I d-don't really know. I-I've only been a n-ninja a few h-hours. I-I'll probably know m-more once I g-get assigned to m-my team."

"Ohhh, I want to be a ninja so badly. So, when do we start my tutoring?"

"M-maybe tomorrow?" Hinata hadn't thought that far ahead yet. She was still giddy from simply succeeding in coming up with a plan to spend more time with Naruto. "After the a-academy lets o-out."

"Sounds like a plan," Teuchi said interrupting the two. "But it's getting late and you have school tomorrow," He said pointing at Naruto. "And the little lady gets assigned her team tomorrow. You two need to get to bed."

"Aww man, so soon?" Naruto whined stacking up his fourth bowl. "I-I should r-really get b-back to my c-clan."

"Okay…fine," Naruto said sliding off his stool, Hinata followed suit. "See ya Ayame! See ya Teuchi!" Naruto yelled waving at the pair. "Th-thank you for th-the f-food," Hinata said, much quieter than Naruto, while bowing. "Make sure to walk her home like a real gentleman, Naruto!" Ayame shouted after the two of them as they walked beneath the flaps in front of the ramen stand.

Ayame watched the two leave, stretching over the counter to get a better look. Once she was sure they were out of earshot she turned to her father. "OMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSHOMIGOSH!" Ayame shouted jumping up and down, slapping Teuchi on the shoulder repeatedly. "They finally got together! Did you see them? They were so adorable!" Teuchi just grunted in reply. "Oh come on dad. With how often she was in here you had to see that she was in love with Naruto. And now that they've go-"

 _THWACK_

"I'm old Ayame, not blind. Of course I've noticed the girls feelings. Now Naruto has a friend who legitimately cares for him and they don't need you meddling in their affairs," Teuchi said waving his wooden ladle threateningly. "Party pooper."

"Yeah, yeah. We're running low on noodles go get some more."

"Okay, okay, just easy with the ladle," Ayame said backing away from her father and towards their storage area behind the shop. Teuchi turned back to the broth he was making. He looked at the ladle he was holding before placing it with the other dirty dishes and grabbing a new one. Ain't no health inspector was going to shut him down. He continued preparing more broth in preparation for the late night post-mission report rush. "Hey Teuchi."

A young man wearing Konoha's flak jacket and sporting an impressive scar across his face walked under the flaps in the opening. He surveyed the restaurant looking in every nook and cranny. "Ayame's grabbing more noodles, so you're not going find her," Teuchi said preparing the young man's usual. "What? No I…" He cleared his throat as he tried to suppress the blush on his face. "I was looking for Naruto. He failed the academy test and I haven't been able to find him. I'm worried he's going to get in trouble."

"No chance of that I'd say," Teuchi said placing a bowl of ramen on the counter. "You just missed him, seemed to be pretty happy to me."

"Wait, happy?"

"Yep, he was in here with-oh hey Ayame." The young man whipped around, a smile on his face. Only to be greeted by an empty entrance and the sound of Teuchi's chuckling. "Anyway," The young man said through gritted teeth as he turned back to the proprietor. "Who was Naruto here with?"

"That Hyῡga girl in his class, Hinata."

"Wait. Hinata? Quiet, shy Hinata?"

"Two of 'em were in here having the time of their lives. Apparently Hinata's going to help tutor Naruto, help him get his grades up."

"Hinata? They've never spoken before, and now tutoring?"

"Think they met during the test as far as how they agre-"

"Iruka!?" Ayame shouted walking back into the ramen stand carrying a bag of uncooked noodles. She wanted to fix her hair, set down the noodles in her arms, and dust off her clothes. Unable to decide which one was most important she just awkwardly fidgeted in place. "Give that to me," Teuchi said saving his daughter and taking the noodles from her. "Hey Iruka," Ayame said once she had composed herself. "Hey Ayame. So, your father tells me Naruto and Hinata were in here together," Iruka said, a smile adorning his face. "They were so cute together. I should've taken pictures. It was the most adorablest thing ever."

"Adorablest?" Teuchi asked. "Hush!" Ayame replied. "Still Hinata and Naruto? I always thought Hinata was afraid of Naruto. She's always quiet and acts somewhat strangely, but with Naruto it was like that strangeness was cranked up to eleven."

"Afraid? Hinata wasn't afraid of Naruto," Ayame said. When she was met with Iruka's confused look she smiled deviously. "You mean you don't know?" Ayame asked. "Know what?"

"Just tell 'em," Teuchi chided. "Hinata didn't act weird around Naruto cause she was afraid of him." Ayame paused for dramatic effect. "She acts weird around him because she's in love with him." Iruka opened his mouth to respond, then thought better of it. He repeated the process a few more times trying to wrap his head around this impossible info. "What!?" He finally decided to ask. "Yeah, she's totally in love with him."

"How? When? Wha-"

"That's enough you two," Teuchi said interrupting the pair. "Stop gossiping about the kids behind their back. Let them have their privacy. Besides you have school in the morning," Teuchi said pointing his ladle at Iruka. "And I have a feeling that Naruto is going to be extra fidgety tomorrow."

"Yeah you're probably right. Though to be honest I would rather have Naruto excited and hard to handle, you know his usual MO. Than having him quiet and depressed from failing the exams. So…see you later then," Iruka said looking Ayame in the eyes. Her face heated as she met his stare. "See you later," She said. Iruka placed some money on the table for his ramen before leaving. Ayame watched him go, twirling her hair around her finger.

"Remember, not till your eighteenth," Teuchi said pulling out a new pan. "I know dad. You've made that abundantly clear. Hey, do we still have that camera at home?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Cause I'm going to take a picture of Naruto and Hinata when they come back in here."

"You're not going to leave those two alone, are you?"

"Nope."

…sigh…

* * *

Hinata was on cloud nine. Granted she hadn't spoken more than a handful of words since leaving Ichiraku's. She was fine with that though, just meant she could listen to Naruto more. "And then, once all the itching powder was in place, all I had to do was wait for the shopkeeper to walk out." Naruto was regaling Hinata with the tale of one of his favorite pranks. He wasn't telling Hinata anything she didn't already know, stalker and all that, but she still loved hearing his voice.

They turned the corner and Hinata spotted the two Hyῡga guards posted outside the clan compound. She loved Naruto and didn't want to inflict the cold stares of her family on him. "Th-thank you for walking m-me h-home, Naruto," Hinata said bowing. "Okay Hinata, I'll see you tomorrow! Oh, where should we meet tomorrow?" Naruto asked. "H-how about in front of the a-academy," Hinata replied. "Great, looking forward to it! G'night Hinata!" Naruto shouted over his shoulder as he walked away. Hinata watched him go till he turned the corner before she too turned and headed home.

Naruto said see you later to her! Naruto was looking forward to spending time with her. Had she a mirror she would see the ridiculous grin adorning her face. Not that she would've cared, today was the best day of her life!

"Lady Hinata, Lord Hiashi requested your presence the moment you returned home."

And just like that her fuzzy feeling came crashing down to Earth in a gory, flaming wreck, from which there were no survivors. "Th-thanks for in-informing me. I shall s-see him immediately."

"Oh, and Lady Hinata." Hinata turned back towards the guard. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Hinata smiled. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. No, no, it would be worse. Neji was coming towards her. "Lady Hinata," Neji said giving her an exaggerated bow. "Congratulations on passing the test." His voice was so flat and monotonous that the Aburame would've been proud. He rose and walked past Hinata without once looking her in the face. "And I thought Konoha had standards," Neji whispered just loud enough for Hinata to hear. Hinata took a deep breath and reminded herself that she would be spending time with Naruto tomorrow.

Her spirits buoyed she made her way deeper into the Hyῡga Clan compound. She stopped and knelt in front of a sliding door and took one more deep breath. She was about to see if all the work she put in for today was going to pay off. "Father, it is Hinata." She practiced saying that without stuttering and was glad it was time well spent. "Enter," A stern and authoritative voice spoke from the other side of the door. Stilling her trembling hands Hinata sild the door open and entered.

Hiashi, an imposing man with long black hair and the vacant eyes of his clan, was kneeling behind his desk. He had not even looked up when Hinata walked in. She kneeled in front of the desk and waited for her father to acknowledge her. "I was informed earlier that you had taken the Academy test, and that you had passed. Why had you not informed me of your intentions beforehand?"

'You would've known if you payed attention to the papers I had you sign,' Hinata thought savagely. She didn't inner Hinata show, of course, she needed to remain composed. 'Calm down, you practiced this.' "I did not th-think it would r-require your attention. I d-did not know if I w-would even pass. I had wished to s-see how I would m-measure up. The Hyῡga's training m-methods are far more s-stringent than the academy's. I p-passes easily." 'Nailed it!' Hinata thought to herself as her inner self did a fist pump.

"I still should not have heard that my daughter, the clan heiress, has become a shinobi from a member of the branch family," Hiashi said finally looking up. "Still you are now a shinobi now and will represent our clan to not only the rest of the village, but beyond as well. Do not let me down. You are dismissed, get some rest."

"Yes, Father," Hinata said bowing. She Left the room and quietly closed the door behind her. She made her way to the sanctuary of her bedroom before releasing a long shaky breath. She had taken the exam a year early in the hopes of winning her father's approval. But he was as distant as always. Not all was lost, she could still prove herself as a skilled shinobi and now she was going to be able to spend more time with Naruto. Speaking of Naruto, Hinata needed to figure out what she was going to teach him tomorrow.

That was exactly what she needed right now, just planning her time with Naruto. She pulled out her textbook and sat at her desk. She began flipping through the book looking for something she could really impress the boy with. She stopped at a page detailing chakra control and her breath hitched as she scanned the page. In the top left corner in the most tasteful calligraphy were the words "Hinata Uzumaki." Hinata grabbed her whiteout and was about to erase the embarrassing doodle when a thought struck her. Quickly flipping to the front of the book Hinata made a soft squeaking noise in her throat. Covering the entire inside of the front cover were more "Hinata Uzumaki"s. She was going to need more whiteout.


	4. Chapter 4

What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Ch4

Hinata walked into the classroom and scanned the desks for an open seat. She would've gotten here earlier but had spent most of the night, all her whiteout, all her little sister's whiteout, and most of Kō's whiteout erasing all the "Hinata Uzumaki"s in her textbook. That still left every other note and doodle in the margins, but those were far less embarrassing. Finally finding an empty seat Hinata took it. She was wedged between two older and burlier looking kids, she took an interest in all the graffiti carved into the desk just to avoid eye contact.

Her plan had mostly just involved graduating and impressing her father, she should have really planned farther ahead. She was saved from further thoughts by the entrance of the teacher. "Pay Attention!" The older man shouted quieting the class. Hinata missed Iruka. "As of today, you all are now proud shinobi of the Hidden Leaf. Today I will put you in teams under experienced Jonin. These are the best of the best, the cream of the crop of Konoha's forces. Listen to them, and treat them with the respect they des-"

" **Dynamic Entry!"** The window exploded as a green clad man with a bowl cut and the most magnificent eyebrows blasted through the brittle glass. "Have no fear, children!" The man shouted as he landed amidst the glass shards. "For it is I, The Majestic Green Beast of Konoha!" He spun around before striking a pose in front of the students giving them a reassuring thumbs up. "Might Guy!" The light dinged off his impossibly white teeth as a sunset lit wave crashed against the rocky shoal behind him.

Hinata rubbed her eyes before looking back up. Did she really just see that? The man was still there, but the sunlit beach behind him was gone. Was that a genjutsu of some sort? Didn't feel like one? Plus, the light was still shining off his teeth in a way that should have been impossible in the soft fluorescent lighting of the classroom. "Guy-sensei! I passed!" The student Hinata had seen yesterday shouted surging to his feet. "I know Lee, I never doubted for an instant!"

"Guy-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Guy-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Enough!" The teacher shouted getting out from under his desk, stopping Guy and Lee from rushing towards each other, arms outstretched. "You know you're early right?"

"I am…I-I mean of course I'm early. In my journey to defeat my hip eternal rival Kakashi I do my best to arrive early whenever possible!" Guy shouted laughing the manliest of laughs. "If I give you your team will you leave?"

"Yes."

Sighing the teacher picked up his notes and flipped through them. "Team 3 under Might, Guy: Dahren, Satoshi, Hyῡga, Hinata, and Rock, Lee. Just…go."

"Yosha! To the rooftop!" With that mighty proclamation, Guy leapt out of the window and began climbing the side of the academy one-handed. "Wait for me, Guy-sensei!" Lee shouted following him out the window. An awkward silence fell over the class as everyone tried processing what just happened. "Whelp," Hinata tuned to see a boy get to his feet. He was tall for his age, he had muddy brown hair held back by a green bandana, he wore his brand-new hand band over this. A pair of aged tonfa were strapped to his back over a pocketed camo colored vest. "I'm taking the stairs." He turned and walked out of the room.

Hinata got to her feet and felt the eye of every person in the room land on her. She stared at the ground as she made her way towards the door, moving faster than Hyῡga pride normally allowed in such a situation. She was practically sprinting by the time she made it to the door. She caught up to Satoshi and slowed down before she made a further fool of herself. "So, you're are a…uh…Hyῡga, huh?" Satoshi asked nervously glancing at Hinata out of the corner of his eye. "Y-yeah."

"You…uh…know Neji?"

"Y-yes he's my c-cousin."

"Cousin you say…huh?" Hinata just wanted to find a deep hole to hide in, or if she had her way in Naruto's arms but anyway. She never liked having to deal with people who tiptoed around her because of her clan. "It's okay, N-Neji can be di-difficult to get along with. A-and you don't h-have to be so n-nervous around me."

"Oh, thank goodness," Satoshi sighed. "I was afraid you were going to be another Neji. He's a real prick." Satoshi seemed to realize what he'd just said about a Hyῡga to a Hyῡga. "Ah, I didn't me…I was going to s…what I meant was…no you know what? We're on the same team, might as well speak my mind. I'm sorry Hinata, but your cousin's a prick."

"I-I know. But it's n-not his fault. He h-had a rough p-past."

"I'll take your word for it. I don't think we ever spoke a word to each other. Eh, on to more important things what do you think about our…uh…sensei?"

"He…s-seems…uh…majestic?" Satoshi looked at her for a moment before he broke down laughing in front of the rooftop door. "Majestic is one way of putting it. Let's go talk to our _majestic_ sensei." Satoshi laughed opening the door. The pair walked out and looked for their flamboyant teacher. "Yosh! Come on Lee! Let your power of youth burn! You can do it!" Satoshi and Hinata walked to the edge and looked down as their jaws hit the ground at what they saw.

Guy was standing on the wall, as in perpendicular to the wall, as Lee tried to climb the academy building one-handed. "if…I cannot…climb this…building one-handed," Lee said through gritted teeth as he grabbed onto a ledge. "Then I…will do…one-thousand laps…around Konoha!" Lee bounced on his toes once, twice, then he leapt up and grabbed the railing at the edge of the roof. His sweaty hand started slipping and fear filled Lee's face. "Come on, Lee! You can do it!" Satoshi shouted. With a final herculean effort, Lee hoisted himself over the edge and collapsed onto the roof.

"Nice job Lee!" Guy shouted stepping over the rail. "Thanks…for…the…encourage…ment," Lee panted as Satoshi helped him up. "We non-geniuses gotta stick together."

"That is right Satoshi, the most important thing in any team is helping one another overcome any struggle. Now, take a seat." Satoshi and Hinata sat on the bench while Lee collapsed. "As I have already been introduced I am Might Guy. Jonin and Konoha's pre-eminent expert of Taijutsu. My goal is to beat my eternal rival Kakashi Hatake and to turn you three into the most splendid of shinobi. Now you there, young lady! Introduce yourself to the rest of us." Hinata swallowed when she became the center of attention. She honestly didn't know how to deal with people this flamboyant. Her experience with people like this was limited to just Naruto, and that rarely ended well.

"M-my name is Hinata Hyῡga. M-my goal is to one day be w-worthy to t-take my place as c-clan head."

"Wait!? You're the _heir_ to the Hyῡga clan?!" Satoshi shouted looking at Hinata with new eyes. "Y-yes."

"Whoa…"

"Thank you for volunteering to go next," Guy said gesturing at Satoshi. Clearing his throat the bandanaed boy stood up. "Name's Satoshi Ahren. Civilian. My goal is to do my grandmother proud and become an amazing shinobi."

"A fantastic goal, I will do everything I can to help you achieve it. Now! Lee!"

"Yes! I am Rock Lee and my goal is to become a splendid shinobi despite not being able to use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu!"

"H-he can't use ninjutsu?" Hinata whispered to Satoshi. "No I cannot, but I will not stop because of it!" Lee shouted when he heard Hinata's question. "Yes! I can see the Flames of Youth burning in all of you. Once you are shinobi you will do the village proud!"

"Wait, what do you mean 'once we are shinobi'?" Satoshi asked all traces of joviality gone. "We passed the test, aren't we shinobi?"

"No, you are not," Guy said his voice immediately becoming somber. "There is another test, the True Genin Test. After being assigned a Jonin sensei you are given this test. I cannot say more besides the fact that the test has a sixty-six percent failure rate."

"A-and if we don't p-pass?" Hinata asked. "Then I take away your headbands and send you back to the academy." Satoshi audibly gulped as his face lost color. "S-so you mean that I could still fail?"

"Yes."

"Do not despair my friends. With the power of youth on our side there is no test we cannot pass, no obstacle to we cannot overcome!" Lee shouted staring at the pair with the most earnest expression Hinata had ever seen. Besides Naruto, obviously. "Yeah, you're right Lee! We proved ourselves once, we can do it again!" As one the boys turned to look at Hinata. "Y-yeah…" Hinata said in her most battle-cryie voice.

"You kids," Guy sniffed wiping at the tears rolling down his face. "The flame of Youth burns brightly in all of you. Very well. If you think you got what it takes meet me at Training Grounds #14 tomorrow at 11. Till then." Guy turned and leapt off the building, falling from sight. "Wait for me, Guy-sensei!" Lee shouted jumping after the older man. "Lee!" Satoshi shouted running to the railing, Hinata not far behind.

Down below Lee had hit the ground hard enough to leave a small crater. Before Hinata could start panicking Lee jumped to his feet and tore off after their green clad teacher. "I-is that n-normal?" Hinata asked turning to Satoshi. "Well…Lee's a good guy…in small doses. He can be a bit…much, though. Well Hinata, nice meeting ya, see ya tomorrow." Satoshi said over his shoulders as he descended the stairs. Like a normal person.

Alone Hinata tried to gather her thoughts. Her teammates certainly were…uh…interesting. They would take some getting used to but for now Hinata had to gather her courage for her study date with Naruto. Not that it was a date. Hinata would never call it a date, at least not out loud.


End file.
